The present invention relates to a method for producing compressed and sliced bales of fibrous material, whereby each bale has at least one cut that passes therethrough and allows the bale to be separated into at least two separate and distinct layers. The present invention also relates to the resultant bale of fibrous material.
Many countries, such as Japan, do not have sufficiently available acreage to grow or elect not to grow various forms of animal fodder and forage used to feed animals that consume forage and fodder, such as cows. For this reason, it is necessary for end users in these countries to import animal fodder and/or forage for use in feeding various animals. To satisfy demand in these countries, hay or alfalfa and other forage and fodder crops are baled and compressed into tightly bound rectangular or square units and exported.
Originally, hay bales were relatively small rectangular objects that could be picked up and thrown by a person. If such bales were to be shipped, they were compacted to substantially eliminate air found in the bale. However, with the advent of modern farming practices, the size of the bales increased. As the bales increased in size, it became necessary to use machines to move such bales. Resultingly, in order to ship large bales, it became necessary to chop or reduce in size the large bales and to compact the material that formed the bale. The compaction process often involved grinding or cutting the forage material and the compacting such material. This process unfortunately resulted in compacted bales that were not uniform in leaf material. Also, the material often lacked uniformity so that one bale might have more stems than another.
In the past, non-uniform material has not been a major concern because such material was intended generally for use in industrial scale farming operations. Fodder and forage in such operations are ground and pre-mixed with vitamins, other feeds, and other nutritional constituents to form a total mix ration (TMR). However, end users owning smaller operations often do not have the equipment necessary to grind and break apart such compacted fodder and mix it with additives. Small farming operations generally distribute the compressed forage or fodder material, as is, to the animals without forming a TMR material. It has been determined that owners of such operations prefer for the material to have the leaves of the forage still intact.
Another issue with known compacted bales relates to the fiber length of the fodder or forage used to form the bale. In general, the majority of the fibers are often longer than 5 inches. End users, however, prefer that the length of such material be no longer than 5 inches. Fibers that are too long typically are not consumed entirely by a cow or similar forage consuming animal. This means less fiber is consumed and more is wasted. It is desired that a lesser amount of the fodder or forage be wasted. As such, it is desired to have a method and resultant bale that is comprised primarily of fibers having a length of 5 inches or less. More particularly, it is desired to have a method to produce forage and fodder material having a generally pre-determined length. The fibers of the bale should also contain a substantial portion of the leaves indigenous to the forage. Also, the controlled fiber length allows small end users to use the forage in small TMR mixers.
Production of forage bales for shipping or export, can be expensive. Known methods for forming the bales have initially kept the baling twine or wrapping intact throughout the process, until compressed. Maintaining the integrity of the baling twine is disadvantageous because it increases cost. More care is required to be taken to ensure that the bales to be processed are aligned correctly and cut at a suitable position so as not to cut the twine. Such a method is labor intensive and, consequently, increases cost. For this reason, it is desired to have a method or device that is economical to use.
Various forms of animal fodder and forage such as, for example, hay or alfalfa, are generally baled into rectangular shapes to facilitate handling and storage. During the baling process, the hay is collected and compressed into dense tightly packed bales. In the bales, most of the stems of the hay are typically aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bale. Alignment of the stems in this direction tends to keep the bale of hay from breaking or falling apart. Therefore, the bales generally stay together in a continuous mass or a series of interlocking portions. In order for a compressed bale of hay to be distributed to animals as feed, or presented to mixing and feeding equipment, the hay must be separated from the bale. Various machines have been developed to break up or separate the hay from the bale, such as tub grinders. However, these machines generally create dust and airborne particles, making them environmentally incompatible for human working conditions. Additionally, these machines tend to pulverize the hay, destroying the fiber content with some loss of leaf, resulting in a large percentage of the hay.
Therefore, a fiber material cutting system is needed which will separate a compressed fiber material such as, for example, bales of hay, alfalfa, or straw, into substantially smaller portions. The fiber material is desirably cut while reducing the amount of dust or airborne particles which would be incompatible with human working conditions. Additionally, if the fiber material is a type of forage such as, for example, hay or alfalfa, it is advantageous to have substantially consistent length of the fiber. Furthermore, there should be minimal detachment of leaf from stem. Most importantly, the hay should contain as much of the original nutrients and fiber as possible.
The present invention relates to a method for forming a compressed and cut bale of fibrous material. The baled fibrous material is designed to be fed to animals that consume forage or fodder. Beneficially, the method produces a bale that is similar to a non-compressed xe2x80x9csmallxe2x80x9d bale found in a field after baling hay, whereby the bale has minimized leaf separation, but, advantageously, the present bale has a substantially pre-determined fiber length. Additionally, the present invention relates to the resultant bale of fibrous material.
The present inventive method is initiated by obtaining an untreated and non-compressed bale of hay or other fibrous material, such as forage or fodder. Such bale can be of any of a variety of sizes and shapes. The strings or wrapping used to hold such bale together are cut or removed. The bale is then cut in at least one place so as to form at least two separate and distinct layers, with the layers then separated. Each layer is cut in at least one location to form a layer that can be separated into two separate tiers. Such tiers, however, are not separated but remain in contact. Preferably, the tier or layer with the cut is then cut vertically to form layer portions with a cut. The layer portion is then compressed to form a compressed and cut fibrous bale. The resultant bale will be compressed and have at least one cut so that the bale can be separated into separate and distinct layers. The fibers that form such layers are typically less than 5 inches in length. More importantly, the fiber length is substantially uniform and pre-determined.
Such bale is ideally suited for shipping, especially to locations that have insufficient or unavailable amounts of fodder and forage for animal consumption. The bales are further advantageous because they maintain, substantially, the integrity of the leaf structure, and can be easily pulled apart by an end user and fed to an animal without further processing. Also, the bales are cut in such a way that the sub-tiers have a pre-determined fiber length, with the fibers preferably less than 5 inches in length. This ensures that the majority of the fibrous material will be consumed by the animals. The present invention is further advantageous because it is comparatively a low cost system.